Oil-circulating system



pril 8, 1930. J. L. PERKINS ET AL OIL CIRCULATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 2D,192B m il ` INVENTORS v@ Wj TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTI oFFicE JULIAN L. PERKINS, OFWEST SPRINGFIELD, AND I'IIRAM D. CROFT, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS,`.ASSIGJQ'CSJEE TO EERKINS MACHINE AND GEAR COMPANY, OF WESTSPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORFOBATION OF MASSACHUSETTSOIL-CIRCULATING SYSTEM Application filed September 2D, 1928. Serial No.307,256.

Our invention relates to improvements in systems of or means forlubricating with lubricants, in a more or less fluid state, intermeshingdriving and driven members of the spiral or similar type; and the`primary object of our invention is to provide a system of thischaracter whereby the lubricating medium is circulated by the action ofthe driv ing spiral member when in motion, and applied in a mostthorough manner to the interengaging parts `or teeth of both spiralmembers, and to the driving member shaft and its `main bearing, withthe'result that uniform lubrication is obtained, undue friction and wearare obviated, great'eflciency is attained, and waste is prevented.

The system is simple and its application or installation in no wayimpairs the mechanism with which it is directly associated.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the followingdescription.

We attain the objects and secure the advantages of our invention by themeans illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is atop plan, in partial section, of transmission mechanism equipped withthe oil-circulating system, illustrating a practical embodiment of thesame, thefcover of the case being removed; Fig. 2, a fragmentary,sectional detail of certain of the parts and members; Fig. 3, a verticalsection through said mechanism, taken on lines 3-3, looking in thedirection of the associated arrow, in Fig. 1, and, Fig. 4, afrontelevation of said mecha nism.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The arrowsin Figs. 1 and 3 indicate the directions of the associatedrevolving` members when in action.

It is to be understood that the mechanism to which our system is hereapplied is merely typical of mechanisms to which said system may and iswell adapted to be applied.

At 1 is represented a horizontal case which is provided ontop with acover 2 secured in place by means of screws 4L. This case may be of anynecessary length, dependinoon the character of the machine with whichthe system is employed, and here the right-hand end portion is brokenoff. The lubricant is placed in the case 1 to a depth suliicient toenable the same to be `circulated in the most eiiicient manner. 7

On the floor of the case 1, adjacent to but apart from the back sidethereof, is an integral, horizontal bearing 5, and in the front side ofsaid case is an integral, horizontal bearing 6, the axes of'thesebearings being in the same straight line,- which line is at rightanglesto the central, longitudinal, vertical plane of the case. The locationof the bearing 5 inside ofthe case 1 is important, because of thecompleteness and thoroughness with which the same can be lubricated, aswill hereinafter more clearly appear.

There is an integral, vertical bearing 7 in the floor of the casing 1,between the lefthand end of said casing and the vertical plane in whichthe axes of the bearings 5 and 6 are located, and the cover 2 isprovided directly above saidV first-named bearing with an integral,vertical bearing 8.

A worm-wheel 9 has upper and under trunnions 10 and 11, respectively,through which and the hub (12) of said worm-wheel entends a shaft 18,the upper portion of said shaft being hexagonal in cross section, andpinned at lll to said upper trunnion. The trunnions 10 y `and 11 arerespectively journaled in the bearings 8 and 7. A packingring 15 may beintroduced between contiguous surfaces of the bearing 7 and the hub 12.

A worm 16 is mounted on a horizontal shaft 17, and partially inclosed ina cylindrical conduit or shell 18, within which shell at the front endof said worm is a cylindrical bearing block 19. The worm 16 has at therear end a hub 2O that is pinned at 21 to the shaft 17. The shaft 17projects beyond the rear end of the hub 20 into the bearing 5, whereinthis projecting part of said shaft is journaled. The forward terminal ofthe sha-ft 17 is journaled in the block 19, and prot-rudes from thefront end of said block to receive thereon and have secured thereto thedirect driving member, which may be a pulley, as 22. The forwardterminal of the shaft 18 is received in the bearing 6, and a pin 23passing down through the left-hand side of said bearing and engagingportions of the shell 8 and the block 19, as best shown in the firstview, securely holds said shell in place in said bearing and said blockin place in said shell.`

The block 19 extends from the frontend of the Worm 16 vto the inner faceof the hub of .the pulley .'22, and the shell 18 extends from the rearend of .said Worm to Vthe front end of said block. A portion of 'theleft-hand side of the shell 18 is cut away, asxrepresented at 24, topermit the Worm and Worm-Wheel teeth to intermesh. Y

The shaft 17, and With itv the Worm 16, is held against endvvisemovement by Ithe bearing 5, the rigidly held block 19, andthe pullley22, the hub, as 25, of said vpulley being pinned, as at 26 to said shaftadjacent to the outer end thereof.

vPower applied to the `pulley 22 causes the shaft 17 and thevvorm 16 torevolve, land the latter-causes the worm-Wheel 1.9 and the shaft 13 torevolve.

YWithin the block 19, a short distance in from the front end thereof, isa groove 27 encircling the shaft 17 landopen-ing into the bore in saidblock for said shaft, and also Within said block and `leading down fromthe bottom of said groove and 'then rearwardly to *the inner end of theblock is a passage 28-see Fig. 2. The bottom fof the passage 28 `'isformed by the shell 18. Absorbent material in the form of -a ring 29encircles the shaft 17 in the groove 27. An oblique passage on ahorizontal plane, as a' whole'indicated by the numeral 30` `extends fromthe 'bore yin the Vbloeflr 19 forlfthe shaft 17 4'through said block,

the shell 18, and the innerpart'ofthe bearing The passage '30 opens`atene end and into the shaft bore inthe blocl 19,a-t a point betweenthe Worm .16 and the packing-ring 29, and at the other end into thecasing Vil at a point adjacent to the intermeshing Worm and worm-Wheelteeth. ,n

When the worm 16 is in motion a certain amount of suction is createdthereby, or it acts as a spiral conveyer, and thereby causes thelubricant to be drawn through the passage 30 to the shaft 17, Where saidlubricant coats .the portion of said shaft Which -is in the block 19 andthe sides ofthe bore therein for said shaft in a most thoroughandcomplete manner,to saturate the ring 29, to move down into the`passage 28 and rearwardly in said last-named passage and inside of theshell 18 `onto the worm teeth, which teeth, be it noted, run in ContactWith said shell, Vand onto the worm-Wheel teeth Where and cas they Vare`contacted With by said Worm teeth, and finally to passout of the rearor inner `end of the shell back into the case 1. The movement of thelubricant is not, `of course, divid- 4ed irnto cycles, as might possiblylbe inferred Icertain-1y is more Ilfively and speedy. The lcharacter ofthe mechanism and the nature and consistency of the lubricant are thefactors Whi-chdetermine whether or not ring "29 shall used.

Due Ito the exposure on three, and evenV four, iff'fthelevel of thelubricarrtbe mbevetlie 15,

top of the bearing 5, sides-of said bearing-to said lubricant, the borein said Ibearing ifo'r the Vshaft 17, andthe pai-Tt of said shaft insaid bore, are thoroughly and completely Vlubricated fat all times.IJdbricant from ithe case 1 can enterthe bearing 5 'atfeither end, workthrough thesaine, and leave fat the other end, returning jte the massfin the case. vTo facilitate the entrance of the lubricant to the4interior ofthe bearing, sin-opening 81 may y be made in the top of saidbearing. f Y

The term oil fas herein used is intended to coverand include anylubricant for lubricating material capable of being utilized with oursystem; l i l VMore or 'ess fdiange, im addition to rt'he hereinbefefrespecifical'lypointediout, may be made in -our system, 'without departingfrom the spirit :of onrinventimi, scope of what is claimed.

Wefclazim. 1. ln an veil-"circuln-ting system, a container or exceedingthe Vfor lubricant, FaV member supported by said container, a conduitleading from said member, aa shaft 'with ione tenminal 1journaledinzsaid member, the fatter having therein `passages openinginto theshaftvpassage `'and into :saidlcontainer 'and Asaid conduit, `a spiraldriving mem-ber mountedwon and secured to said shaft Within saidconduit, and a driven member intermeshing with said driving member. V l

V2. [n an oil-circulating system, .aicontaxiner for lubricant, a:bearingmember supported by said container, a conduit leading fram saidmember, a shaft with one terminal journaled in said member, fthe latter:having therein an annular groove opening into the 'shaft passage, andpassages opening into said groeve, and into said container and saidconduit, a spiral driving member mounted on and se cured to said shaftWithin said conduit, and va driven member interlneshing with ysaiddriving member.

3. lnanoil-circulaltimg system, aconstniner for lubricant, a bearingmember supported by said container, a conduit leading from said member,a shaft with one terminal journaled in said member, the latter havingtherein an annular groove opening into the shaft passage, and passagesopening into said groove and into said container and said conduit,absorbent material in said groove, a spiral driving member mounted onand secured to said shaft Within said conduit, and a driven memberintermeshing with said driving member.

4. An oil-circulating system comprising a container for lubricant,intermeshing driving and driven spiral members in said container, saiddriving member being mounted on and secured to a shaft that is journaledin a bearing in which are passages leading from the outside o-f saidcontainer to the shaft passage, and from said shaft passage to theoutside of said bearing member, and a conduitaround said driving memberand into Which one of said first-named passages opens, whereby theaction of said driving member, when in motion, causes the lubricant topass into said bearing member to said shaft, and to pass out of saidbearing member and through and out of said conduit back into saidcontainer.

5. In an oil-circnlating system, a case, for lubricant, provided Withbearings, a shell eX- tending into one of said bearings, a bearing blockand a Worm in said shell, means to secure said shell and block to saidcase, a shaft, for said Worm, journaled in the other of said bearingsand in said block, the latter having passages therein, one of whichpassages leads from the interior of said oase to the shaft bore in saidblock, and the other leads from said bore to said shell, and aWorm-Wheel intermeshing With said Worm.

6. In an oil-circulating system, a oase, for

lubricant, provided With bearings, a shell extending into one of saidbearings, a bearing block and a Worm in said shell, means to `securesaid shell and block `to said ease, a shaft, for said Worm, journaled inthe other of said bearings and in said block, the latter having thereinan annular groove opening into the shaft passage, and passages openinginto said groove and into said case at two points, one of Which pointsis through said conduit, and a Worm-Wheel intermeshing With said Worm.

7. In an oil-circulating system, a oase, for lubricant, provided Withbearings, a shell extending into one of said bearings, a bearing blockand a Worm in said shell, means to secure said shell and block in saidcase, a shaft, for said Worm, journaled in the other of said bearings`and in said block, the latter having an annular groove which opens intothe bore therein for said shaft, and passages one leading from theinterior of said case to said groove, and the other leading from saidgroove to said shell, absorbent material in said groove, and aWorm-wheel intermeshing With said Worm.

8. In an oil-circulating system, a ease, for lubricant, provided withbearings, a shell extending into one of said bearings, a bearing blockand a Worm in said shell, means to secure said shell and block to saidcase, a shaft, for said vvorm, journaled in the other of said bearingsand in said block, the latter having passages therein, one of whichpassages leads from the interior of said case to the shaft bore in saidblock, and the other leads from said bore to said shell, and aWorm-Wheel intermeshing With said Worm, said shell having an openingtherein adjacent to the inter-engaging portions of the Worm and Worm-Wheel teeth.

JULIAN L. PERKINS. HIRAM D. CRGFT.

